


Walls of blood

by TheonlyDan



Category: American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Hotel
Genre: AU, Angst, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/F, Female Relationships, Fix-It, Fluff and Angst, Lesbian Character, Mild Sexual Content, Mild Smut, POV Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-01-16 01:55:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18511555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheonlyDan/pseuds/TheonlyDan
Summary: You enter the universe of Hotel Cortez.You meet the woman that intrigued you too much--you don't want to escape.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic would go on and on in AU (as long as you guys are not tired of the character study and the development of the story.
> 
> Hope you enjoy:)

>  

“Why is she so fucking calm?”

“I’ve never seen a girl like this before. Most of them couldn’t keep their shit together.”

“Tell me about it.”

You slowly opened your eyes and groaned. Why was your head so foggy and dizzy?

“You’re awake.”

A raspy voice came from the woman with heavy makeup.

“It looks like we don’t have to cleanse this young one.”

Putting the blenders away, the older woman with short grey hair announced and snickered at the healthy ingredients.

“Why aren’t you screaming and……”

The woman with too much eyeliner approached you as you were slightly shivering due to lack of clothing.

 

You were stripped down to your bra and panties.

“……begging for us to let you go?”

Exhaling a puff of smoke, she started to examine you with curiosity and a predatory look in her eyes.

 

“Do you want me to?”

You offered dryly with calmness; this kind of situation had brought out the side of you that you had never seen before.

“Damn, Sally! The girl got balls!”

The older woman sounded a little too happy in the background, oblivious to relate to the current situation.

 

You coolly stared into the blonde’s eyes, and Sally was actually surprised.

“Oh… don't be sad, sweetheart.”

Yes, she definitely caught the panic or horror in your eyes. She traced her hand that was free of cigarette along your jawline and cheekbones.

You said nothing, but the flush on your cheeks had given it away.

“What’s your name?”

Sally whispered. You licked your dry lips and suddenly craved for a drag of smoke.

“Y/N……”

Sally repeated almost inaudibly and inhaled the cigarette, strangely satisfied.

You stared at her blood-red lips that made contact with the cigarette, enchanted.

 

“Iris, I want this one.”

“WHAT? You know it’s too rare that we have someone this healthy!”

Sally ignored the angry protest coming from Iris as she reached out, let you loose and smiled with an evil glint.

“Now you owe me!”

Iris yelled at her while she grabbed the bottle of wine on the table carelessly and clicked her heels away.

 

You had a perfect sense that the woman with wild blonde hair, Sally, was now your biggest chance to live, depending on whatever fucked-up situation you were in.

You stumbled behind the blonde; you must be tied up for god knew how long and your feet were numb your vision was blurring your whole body was betraying you—

Entering the elevator, your train of thoughts were stopped by the abrupt sound of the closing elevator door.

The air went heavy with tension as you shuddered.

You were suddenly self-conscious.

Sally lit up another cigarette and stared into the void, ignoring you entirely.

You brought your arms up and tried to cover herself; your nipples were erected because of the cold or……fear.

Without looking at you, she took off her leopard-print coat and threw it in your direction. You caught it swiftly.

It smelled like cigarette, soap and cheap floral perfume.

“Thanks.”

Sally smiled absentmindedly and took another drag of smoke.

 

***

 

They entered room 64.

“Can I use the— “

Sally was already gone.

 

You went into the bathroom and cleaned yourself; the previous situation had put you on edge and you were covered with a sheen of cold sweat. Yep, you check yourself in the mirror, and a gaunt-looking woman stared back with no light in her eyes.

 

You washed and scrubbed yourself with steaming water, trying to process what had happened to you. Then you teared up in frenzy because you discovered there was a memory gap between how you ended up in this place and your previous situation.

 

_What should I do?_

 

You wrapped yourself in a sheet-white towel that was too clean compared to this ancient hotel, and walked out of the moldy bathroom.

 

Sally was sitting there, on the brownish sofa for some time, judging by the cigarette butt that was burned up in the ashtray.

There were needles and all kinds of tools that were now laying on the bed. There were also other drugs on display.

 

She was beautiful in a harsh way, who was maybe being brutally treated in her life, and she might be the kind of person who did things with brutality. Her makeup could not conceal the history, and the eyeliner couldn’t hide the fact that she was filled with melancholy.

You were curious about her as she sat there with serenity.

 

“Am I going to die?”

You asked steadily.

Her head jerked at your direction as if she just noticed your presence, and she smiled like a Cheshire cat.

“No, I want to keep you around for a while.”

Her tone was light but her gaze was unrelenting; you stared right back with boldness. She seemed to be satisfied and broke eye contact. Taking out another cigarette, she lit it up gracefully in a fluid motion.

 

“Tell me about your story.”

 

Patting the bed, she indicated you to sit down as she relished in a slow drag she took.

You cautiously approached the other side of the bed that was cleared of her “drug-kit” and sat down. You almost succeeded at suppressing a moan since the bed felt SO good.

Sally was looking at you the whole time, with an unreadable expression.

“Want one of these?”

“No thanks. Those things could kill.”

She laughed out loud for no reason that made you jumped a little.

“Well, then you’re missing the good stuff, Y/N.”

She put the pack of cigarette back, a little disappointed but not surprised. The smell of smoke was surprisingly good and it did not give you a headache; in fact, it sobered you up and your mind started to run faster.

 

 _There must be something else added in the smoke. Or the AC in this room._ You absently noted.

 

“I smoked when I was 15.”

 

You surprised yourself as you opened up rather quickly. To a total stranger, this was no big secret.

Sally mildly nodded to encourage you to talk more, with a hint of interest in her eyes.

 

“I almost finished a pack of these and were discovered by my parents. They came close to killing me back then. But now, I still think it was no big deal back then. They were too conservative.”

“Then why did you smoke?”

She rasped out.

“Stress and the failures of my adolescent dreams.”

When those words left your mouth, you felt lighter since it had been too long that you open up to someone.

“I don’t know myself, and I grew pessimistic, losing track of reality and time. However, I was invisible in my family, and my acting was too well in school so nobody ever suspected. I was not willing to let my guard down. Throughout my teenage years, I was alone.”

 

“There were times when I wanted to end my life so badly. They were the demons that would haunt me till the end. I often wrote about those emotions and fantasies.”

 

You shuddered all of a sudden; bits and pieces of memories rushed to you as you _remembered_ that you were a writer—

The expression on her face stopped your thoughts; Sally was tearing up for you.

Something stirred in your stomach that wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

 

“And then, Karen happened in college. She was the most beautiful girl and the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Your ex popped in your mind and you smiled bitterly.

 

“Every failed relationship has its reasons. Both parties are victims. Karen and I didn’t work out, and her sleeping with another guy put an end to our relationship.”

“Why didn't you fit together?”

You were surprised that Sally was actually interested in you as a person. She seemed sophisticated because she asked the questions in all the right places.

 

“We both have our issues to work out; in the end, we knew that we were too different.” _You still didn’t understand yourself well in college; but do you now?_

She noticed you brushed the question off, and your walls were up.

You just couldn’t show her this side of you yet.


	2. Chapter 2

         What game was this? You couldn’t figure the situation. Were you kidnapped? What did these people want?

 

          Sally elegantly took a drag of the cigarette, wordless, with a wistful expression on her face.

The way she smoked was like……she was making sweet love to it. You blushed, confused for the incredulous thought that popped into your head.

 

You were in the middle of a crisis, and you couldn’t afford those distractions.

 

You looked down on your laps and played with the edge of the towel.

“Do I get to wear clothes?”

Covering up your discomfort, you asked casually. But she was seemingly acute to emotions.

Sally smirked like a Cheshire cat.

“There was a suitcase there, belonging to the……” She paused and put off the cigarette. “…… _last_ resident.”

It sent a chill down your spine. _He or she must be dead; what else would the reason for their luggage to be left in this hotel?_

_Worse, they might have died here._

 

You got up with too many thoughts on your head, went to the luggage and rummaged through the clothes. Her eyes followed you, studying your every movement.

 

“So, you like girls, huh?”

She asked airily with a hint of interest coloring her voice. You stopped for a second and stared at the belt, trousers and man’s T-shirt.

“Yes, I’m a lesbian. Is there a problem?”

Answering, you copied her light tone. But you elicited zero response.

 

She had already left; how could she do that? _She’s like a ghost._

You fell asleep next to the needles that she left behind, wearing man’s t-shirt and boy-shorts. Too tired to wonder why you felt these walls had eyes, and someone was watching you.

 

          You woke with a start. It must be night, judging by the darkness that seeped through the window; but you couldn’t really tell the time.

You dreamt of dark things: blood was almost everywhere, and the smell of cigarette twined your dream.

 

No, it was still here. You could still catch the whiff of smoke lingering in the air, dragging you back to reality.

 

You splashed some water on your face, staring at yourself. You looked older somehow.

You remembered that you were a writer, living in a bustling city with a roommate named……

No, she was not only your roommate; she was also your girlfriend.

_What next? How could you not remember?_

 

You rushed out of your room because you want to escape the depressing room that put tons of pressure on you.

The air was stuffy and cold, and the hallway was maze-like. You were barefooted, searching for a way out.

You spotted a little boy in black suit who was way too pale, standing at the other side of the hallway and stared at you with innocence and curiosity.

“Hey!”

You shouted, trying to ask him if he knew this place. But he ran away.

You ran after him for a while, then you gave up. He was nowhere to be seen.

 _Ask the residents then, you idiot_ , a voice inside you cried.

You knocked on a random room and tried to look calm and collected.

A handsome man in his prime wearing a slightly old-fashioned suit opened the door. His style was immaculate, and he’s flawless charisma and politeness was almost too much for you to handle.

“How may I help you?” A strong Boston accent that you would only hear in the old movies came from the man. You paused surprisingly, forgetting what you were going to say.

“Why don’t you come inside? It gets rather boring in here.”

He smiled a little and stepped sideways, gesturing you to come inside. You stood there awkwardly for a few seconds.

“Oh I would hate to bother you; I was just wondering if you knew the way out of this……hotel.”

“No, darling, not at all. I insist that you come inside.”

Well, it seemed like he needed you to come inside to tell you how to get out of this place.

_What’s the harm of it?_

You smiled apologetically and went inside his room.

 

A faint “click” caught your attention.

You suddenly realized in horror, that the stranger might have had locked the room.

 

The room looked exactly the same as the one you slept in; everything was in their place. It was too tidy for someone to be living in. The atmosphere was similar; bleak, tomblike and musty.

 

“You look like you could use a drink.”

His voice knocked you back to reality as you turned around, seeing him holding a glass in his hand.

“To calm your nerves? You look quite disoriented, dear.”

 _Yeah, you think._ You laughed inward bitterly and took the drink, finishing it in one swift motion.

He smiled with satisfaction and gestured you to sit down across him.

The liquor burned your throat and you felt better and braver somehow; you relaxed in the couch and looked at the gentleman with curiosity.

“Ah, please forget my rudeness. I’m James Patrick March; you may address me as James.”

You smiled politely and nodded.

“May I ask if there’s a way to get out of this place?”

“Leaving so soon? Aren’t you curious about the history, the grandeur and the magnificence of the Hotel Cortez?”

 

 _Hotel Cortez. That is where you are._ However, you had no recollection of the name.

 

“You sound like you are really interested in this place, Mr. March.”

“James. Please.”

He winked at you and sipped his drink.

“I was cursed for being rich too early; I fed my hunger with this hotel I built, this glorious masterpiece of art.”

 

You were confused. How could he be the builder of the hotel? This hotel must have had existed for a long span of time.

Before you opened your mouth for a question, he went on.

“I knew I was new money, so my taste and my hobbies would definitely be very _different_ compared to the other ignorant— “

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but how could you be the owner of this place? He or she must have passed away.”

“Ah,”

 

He looked at you with a sympathetic smile that made you uncomfortable.

 

“That’s the magic of Cortez. You see, young lass, if you died here with unfinished business, you would have to stay here forever. Now back to what I was saying,”

You could hardly listen to him. This was bat shit crazy, but he had this aura and charisma that made you want to hear him out.

“I hate religion and regulations. Everybody knows in there darkest of heart, you want to be who you really are. Don’t you agree?”

He cocked his head sideways like an innocent child; you gulped and nodded.

“ _Good._ I’m looking for people like you to restore the vitality of this hotel. Now, come with me.” He stood up and you couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Are you dead? What do you mean by restoring vitality in this ghastly place? I need to get out of here, please.”

A flicker of rage flashed through his eyes; you were too afraid to make any more inquiries.

“Foolish humans. Alas, I thought I had found the right one this time.” He muttered to himself.

“Yes, miss; I’m already dead and you are talking to a ghost. You are being ungrateful to what I was going to share with you. Don’t you feel for this hotel?”

He sounded rather disappointed as he went to pull out the drawer next to the table, picking out something that you couldn’t see.

“You want to share what with me, Mr. March?”

“Well, the ebullience of killing of course.”

 

He turned around with a pistol in his hand.


	3. Chapter 3

Your blood ran cold as every nerve and cell in your body screamed, begging you to run for your life.

 

But your feet were glued to the ground.

 

“Well.. if you have had told me sooner, James, I might just be as exhilarated as you.”

Another part of you took control of your body; you were transformed into someone else, eerily calm to this situation.

He quirked his eyebrows in surprise, and grinned.

 

“You enjoy this artistry of killing also? Miss……”

 

“Y/N. Just call me Y/N.”

You stood up from the couch with a relaxed, languid posture and walked toward him with smile and confidence.

Taking the heavy gun from his hand, you examined it carefully in awe.

“This is so beautiful……”

“It has been too long for someone to be worthy of my guidance. Far too long. And it’s a mystery why I can’t quite see through the color of your aura, Y/N……”

 

He closed the distance between you. He smelled like death mixed with expansive cologne, and you were strangely excited by his presence.

 

Excited by danger.

 

Mr. March looked down at you with frenzy and joy in his eyes; he tilted your chin and you could feel his breath ghosting on your face.

“Would you do me the honor to by my pupil? To be my apprentice and consume the elixir of life and death?”

 

“No, she won’t.”

 

An angry cold voice came out of nowhere that slit through the atmosphere, pouring a bucket of ice on your head. Realizing the closeness between you and Mr. March, you backed off and almost tripped. Your stomach was churning with uneasiness, perhaps because of the presence of March and—

 

Sally?

 

How did she get in this room that was supposed to be locked? When did she get in here?

A heavy truth dawned on you: she might be a ghost, too.

The part of you that you didn’t understand was still in charge, despite the fact you recovered in a way in your conscious.

“Ah… that’s why I could not be your student, James.”

You touched his arm and he even jumped a little because he hadn’t been touched by someone alive for far too long.

“You see……”

You turned and walked toward Sally with confident sway and a predatory smile. She froze a little upon seeing your cool demeanor, and she realized all of a sudden when she looked into your eyes.

 

_Play along with me, please._

“I’m already spell-bound to this woman. I’m marked. I’m hers.”

Sally trembled when you say those words. Her eyes widened and she gasped as you grabbed the collar of her dress, giving her a mind-blowing kiss with all your strength.

Her flavors were slightly different than you’d imagined. She tasted like cigarette of course, but with a pinch of salt and red wine, mixed with lipstick and heartbreak.

 

Yes, you could literally taste the loneliness from her mouth.

You let go and saw the wetness on her face. You cooed and wiped off the tears while you placed an innocent kiss on her cheek. Her chest was heaving rapidly, and you could almost hear the blood-rushes from both of you.

“That is true love, I suppose.”

You were still staring into Sally’s eyes. She is truly beautiful. Entrancing when she’s in such a vulnerable state.

“But could Y/N help you fight your own demon?”

Sally was visibly shaken, and you saw fear and trauma even if she adverted your eyes.

“I’ll let you two love-birds enjoy your time then. Even you have all the time in the world.”

You realized that Mr. March was referring to Sally. Your heart sunk then gave a strange leap, knowing that Sally was actually dead. Emotions of hatred and sadness seemed to crush Sally at that moment; but she recovered quickly and smiled with irony.

“Mr. March, real love is hard to come by, don’t you agree? Oh, and by the way, I saw the Countess yesterday--”

“Please get out of my room. I don’t feel quite comfortable discussing the matter about my wife with you.”

 

Taking your hint, you gave Sally a look, taking the lead and got out of the room.

 

This hotel was definitely filled with stories and histories.

 

The atmosphere shifted dramatically after you get out of Mr. March's room. You felt smaller and more crushable somehow, but relaxed. There were dizziness and a buzz stirring inside of you.

 

Sally had taken the lead wordlessly; it was obvious she would be taking you back to the original place that you stayed.

 

What you had done came back to you and knocked the air out of your lungs. You had gone rogue, and it was not the best thing that Sally would expect. Worst of all, you took control and kissed her.

Realizing the tingling was coming from your lips and all the way to your abdomen, you blushed hard. _What the fuck? You are no longer a schoolgirl anymore; get a grip of yourself._

 

She opened the door and you stumbled behind, following and closing the door. Never once did she look back. Sally just collapsed on the dirty couch, took a cigarette and started to smoke with utmost elegance and melancholy, staring into nothingness.

 

You gulped and stood there fidgeting, not knowing what to do. Time seemed to stop for that moment.

“Before we find a purpose, we would find ourselves stuck in this chain, repeating who we were before we died, over and over again. Because we’ve all lost something in this wretched place. Frozen in time, can’t go forward; can’t go back.”

 

Sally started talking in a sad and indifferent tone; narrating the fact, explaining the obvious.

 

She started to tell her story, about how she fell for smack and had reached the pure light of heaven; how she got lost in paradise; how she tried to climb higher on that ladder, trying to get closer to the light; how all of her efforts only got her further and further away from her purpose.

 

 _She has some grave abandonment issues._ You mused.

 

But you understood her too well. Because you were her.

You know the feeling of isolation, desperation, and feelings of insecurity. You had also tasted your fair share of life, the sweet and the bitter.

Tear streaking down her face, Sally smoked with shaking fingers as she finished her story.

You sat down beside her to her surprise, and you pulled her into a hug.

She reciprocated hesitantly; you just hugged back, wordless.

 

At that moment, you felt connected, safe, warm for the first time since forever.

 

You pulled back and she avoided your stare somehow. You chuckled and wiped her tears away.

“Hey. Look at me.”

She met your eyes with uncertainty; you looked back at her with empathy and what you’d hope…something solid in your eyes.

“You know all the heavy truths, and I wish I was there to help you embrace them. Everyone is perfect in their own imperfect way.”

Sally’s lips were quivering, and the emotions in her eyes swirl in frenzy.

“You deserve to be loved. But first, love yourself; stop taking all of the blame because people come and go all the time.”

With a heavy lump in your throat, you sighed and placed a small kiss on her forehead.

 

_Life is too cruel. Life is too short._

 

The tenderness and affection you manifested seemed all too much for her to handle; Sally cupped your cheeks and kissed you on the lips, fierce with passion and sorrow. You gasped in shock and your mind turned blank.

But the desire seemed to ignite the fire in you; you kissed back with the same force, with regret and exuberance.

 

In the corner of your eye, you caught a glimpse of a monstrous creature, glowing in metallic white, approaching and flickering with malevolence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still thinking if I should bring other characters into this fic...
> 
>  
> 
> Hail Ryan Murphy!
> 
> (The gay inside, screaming: give us a happy lesbian canon! What the fuck man??!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning of fluff ahead!

          Sally sensed that you were no longer reciprocating. She pulled back and caressed your cheeks.

“Hey what’s the matter?”

“I think I just saw your demon. The creature that Mr. March had mentioned.”

“Well… You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll protect you from— “

“No, that’s not the point.”

You sighed inward with a bit of sadness and frustration.

“Why are you always running away from your own demon?”

 

Sally tensed; she went quiet and the warmth in her eyes was replaced with something else.

 

“What? You don’t think I want to solve my problems? I’ve tried!”

Her voice broke a little, and so did your heart.

“But it was still there; every time I fell back to the sharp reality from heaven I know……yes I know that my bleeding has never stopped. Some scars will never heal. And what do you know about pain?”

“I know enough.”

The calmness and the tenderness in your tone seemed to soothe her a little, but she still had a wild, scared and vulnerable look in her eyes.

“I know you. You want people to stay and love you, but you know what? Those love would never be enough; substituting the internet as your new addiction would never be enough; the drugs and needles would never be enough, if you never love yourself.”

Trembling with teary eyes like a wounded, frightened animal, Sally got up from the bed, reached for a pack of cigarette that you swore it was not there before and started to smoke.

It was heavy silence after that. You didn’t know what to do other than offer your companionship, so you joined her on the couch and slipped a cigarette in your hand.

“You want a smoke?”

Sally looked at you, a little bit surprised and delighted.

“Yeah, I haven’t smoked in years though.”

 

_Years? So you must have relapsed after that adolescent experience……after……_

_After your girlfriend died._

 

Sally caught your attention by flicking the lighter, but your mind was miles away.

You went on autopilot and stared at the lighter.

 

Lighter. Fire.

You wanted to do something with fire. You contemplated to kill yourself because after she died, you didn’t know if you could make it. So, you went to a store to buy a bag of coal trying to end it all in your apartment—

And you ended up wandering on the street like a zombie, forgetting what you were doing because your grief had consumed you alive…that’s why you didn’t notice a shadow that had trailed you all the way from the store.

And that was the back story of how you ended up in this retro, death-like hotel.

 

The cigarette burned and burned, until it sent a painful stinging sensation on your fingers.

You hissed and put your finger in your mouth as Sally watched with amusement and sadness.

“You zoned out on me, Y/N.”

You looked at her with tears, half because of the pain and the other half is because you finally remembered.

“I have my memories back.”

“I know. I can see it in your eyes. The sorrow, intensity and complexity and all; you were a woman with so many sides, you know that?”

“I still am. Everyone has many sides of self, but with you, I know I could show the sides that are more……raw.”

“I don’t know if that’s a compliment or not.”

You smiled at each other with playful glints in your eyes.

You realized that anybody can leave this hotel; it’s their choice to stay trapped as their own prisoner, stuck in different unfinished businesses.

_It’s their mindsets; it’s their will._

 

***

 

“You know I could still kill you and you would never have to leave this place.”

“But I know you won’t. And I have no regrets in this place.”

“Why?”

 

You two lay on the bed with tangled sheets, sweaty and naked. The air was left with a buzz of energy and a lethargic smell of passion.

 

“You are better than that, you know it.”

“And you really have no regrets after you are dead?”

“Well, I still want to do many things, like eating in that new Thai restaurant I told you about, or go and buy those new Pilates classes, write a best-selling book…, I try to live to the fullest. I believe in every minute.”

 

You were free to go after that heated conversation and filling in the memory gaps in your head. You went back to your life, took good care of things and yourself. You were currently in a strange but sturdy relationship with Sally. Today was supposed to be a date, but you couldn’t keep your hands to yourself.

You ended making love to each other, but the night was still young.

 

“How do you do it? Containing all that darkness and bringing so much light?”

“Same back to you.”

She turned to your side and started to draw lazy circles on our chest. You shivered slightly as your whole body responded her with pure honesty.

She nibbled on your shoulder, just the way you like it. You stifled a lustful gasp.

 

_My gosh, you are both insatiable._

 

“Don’t mock me, Y/N.”

“You are the light to me, the brightest beacon in my ordinary, mortal little life.”

She smiled against your skin, and you smiled, too.

“You contain…all this lovely darkness; most of them don’t appreciate the primal beauty because you’re the kind of woman who sees everything when the world doesn’t see you.”

“Poetic and romantic. No wonder you’re a writer.”

“And I know it turns you on. Don’t be such a prude.”

Sally giggled and pinched your nipple; you yelped in surprise and feigned anger.

She straddled your laps in swift motion before you could protest.

 

“My turn.”

 

 

_~Fin~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...this is probably the last chapter guys. I had fun immensely when writing this fic, and I can't wait for season 9 of AHS to come out!  
> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Sally is quite a underrated character in Hotel, I think. She keeps pulling me in with her charisma and flawed personality.  
> Also, I desperately need to re-watch the whole thing.
> 
> VERY open to your suggestions!


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